STONE SOUP== use whatever you have to make a tasty meal

Last night my boyfriend and I were talking on the phone. He was thinking of making some soup. I'm vegetarian and he isn't but he's coming around, somewhat. It seems that he tried out some veggie  sausage that I had left in his freezer and he texted to ask where I had gotten it. We started talking about soups later and stock and whatnot.

Now months later, after having left a few soups I made while visiting, I asked him if he had ever eaten those frozen soups I left in his freezer. His answer, “What soups?” Apparently he never uses or looks in his freezer and as a self-professed MINIMALIST, says he really doesn’t “even use a fridge” so there you have it.

Soup making is so easy. You get some broth (and this can be the juices of veggies you’ve steamed or boiled, veggie bouillon you’ve 
purchased, or whatever. But starting with water is a no-no because the veg then don’t have anything to soak into them, or whatever it’s called. 

You cut up the hardest veg first and by this I mean:
Carrots
Parsnips
Beets
Corn on the cob, you have to chop off the cob
Potatoes or any other hard to chop veg.

You put those into the broth first and cook them until they are el dente (not quite soft) BUT WHILST you are cooking them, go ahead and get the softer veg chopped up.

Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Maybe some hard tofu you’ve bought and baked (or BOUGHT BAKED from your local coop salad bar, if you’re me)
Or, add veggie ground “beef” also called “vegetable protein” because that? Is what it is!

When the harder veg are at the el dente stage, throw in the softer veg.  Also throw in half of a flavor packet from a veggie ramen or whatever spices you like. Don’t overdue this as you don’t want it too salty or have so many flavors, it tastes weird.

Cook it up and test it out, but don’t burn your MOUTH! Cool it down by leaving it out for awhile, blowing on it or putting a tiny bit of water on the spoon.  

Dish it out and top it with grated cheese, or if you’re VEGAN, don’t top it with dairy. Add dollop of cream cheese, instead, that is vegan—not made with animal products.

Enjoy!